Family Friendly Elton & Fotheringhay Circuit

Length: 5 miles

Duration: 2 hours 

This is an easy five mile circular route. It is not suitable for pushchairs and may get very muddy in the winter.

This flat route is perfect for a family stroll. Passing through green countryside it features river views, a beautiful church and even the remains of an ancient castle to keep the whole family entertained. There’s also a couple of pubs along the route if you need a little refreshment.

As a family of keen walkers and photographers, it can be a little tricky to plan outings that keep everyone happy these days. Me and Luke enjoy beautiful scenery, quirky buildings and places with a story, but having a two year old tagging along brings it own challenges. We can’t quite manage the mileage (or the hills!) we used to do pre-parenthood, but that doesn’t mean we settle for boring walks!  This easy route is a great example, it starts in the pretty village of Elton, between Peterborough and Oundle, continues to Fotheringhay, and back across the fields to the starting point.

We parked up in Chapel Lane, Elton and followed it away from the village. As you reach the end of the tarmacked lane, it becomes a bridleway. We followed this across the parkland of Elton Hall for about a kilometre. The path is clearly marked and there are lovely views across to the stately hall.

The bridleway then bears slightly left and follows a line of trees on the right, and a fence on the left. (Next comes the least photogenic part of the walk-but it’s only a short section). The path then turns right and runs alongside the busy A605 for about 500m (the road should be on your left).

At the end of the track head right following the Nene Way. This is a footpath I know well as it runs through my home county of Northamptonshire following the River Nene and I have walked several stretches of it. We walked past Warmington Mill and stopped for a while so that Finn could look at the boats on the Marina. We then headed across the fields, crossing over the river at a couple of points. Although it was dry when we walked here, the ground is low and surrounded by water so I imagine that it gets very muddy in the winter.

We then went through a gate and headed along a track towards Fotheringhay. At this point we let Finn walk for a while. Luke had carried him for the first bit, but we’re trying to get him used to walking for a bit longer now. He managed the 1.5km to the village easily, we’ll soon be dragging him up mountains! It helped that we could see the church spire, which Finn thought was a castle, so this kept him motivated and walking forwards.

We arrived at Fotheringhay and went to have a look at the castle site. If the name rings a bell, it’s probably because Fotheringhay Castle was where Mary Queen of Scots was executed in 1587. Today there is just a mound of earth and an information board, but you are allowed to access the site if you want a closer look. We also snuck into the church for a quick look around.

The route then heads out of the village along Fotheringhay Road (right opposite the church) for 500m, before taking the footpath on the right hand side. The route then crosses fields, skirting around the derelict Middle Lodge, before bearing right back to the River Nene. After crossing the river, you arrive back at the village of Elton, with Chapel Lane on your right.

This is just the right length and difficulty of walk for us, and I’m sure that many families would also enjoy it.

Get the OS Map here: